The Trump administration has delayed consideration of a proposal to require companies to prove they have the financial wherewithal to clean up mining sites. In reporting the story, the Associated Press said the action can after a pushback from industry groups and Western-state Republicans.

Companies in the past have avoided cleanups of many mining sites by declaring bankruptcy, the AP says. That prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Barack Obama to pursue changes that would prevent taxpayers from getting stuck with cleanup bills.

But newly sworn-in EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt directed his staff on February 24 to delay consideration of the proposal for four months in order to gather more public comment.

The rule was unveiled late in 2016 under a court order that requires it to be finalized in December 2017. The order came after environmental groups sued the government to enforce a provision in the 1980 federal Superfund law.

Mining industry representatives contended the proposed changes were unnecessary and redundant because of other programs meant to prevent mines from becoming government cleanup liabilities.

The news report says that EPA officials said they still intend to meet the court-ordered deadline.

The proposal would apply to hard-rock mining, which includes mines for precious metals, copper, iron, lead, and other ores. It would cover mines and processing facilities in 38 states, requiring their owners to set aside sufficient money to pay for future clean ups.

From 2010 to 2014, the EPA spent $1.1 billion on cleanup work at abandoned hard-rock mining and processing sites across the U.S., the AP says.

Companies would face a combined $7.1 billion financial obligation under the proposed rule, costing them up to $171 million annually, according to the EPA. The agency said the amount could be covered through third parties such as surety bonds or self-insured corporate guarantees.